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Sunday, September 14, 2008

If you've never had the perfect lightly sweet but not too tart apple, now's your chance! Central Market has gotten their first shipment of honeycrisp apples in. They're organic, grown in California, and currently $3.49/lb. Yes, that's a lot for an apple, but I can guarantee it will be the best apple you've ever had!

Many apples, like Granny Smith's (a favorite of mine for making pies -- good crisp texture and great tartness), are available year round. HC's are not.... they are a fall-only apple. A cross between Macoun and Honeygold apples, developed in the 1960s, they have a fantastic firm texture, and a great snap to them. Look for them! Often grown in CA, MN & WA. For those outside of Austin, check your local Whole Foods for availability. Simply the most fabulous apple you can find.

(And great photography there too.....oops. I was trying to get a legible close up of the produce sticker, so you could really tell it's a HC... take my word for it!)

Cupcake vendors seem to be sprouting like alfalfas. Trendy South Congress Ave. has been home to the lovely airstream trailer Hey Cupcake for many moons now. Their cupcakes are nice and big, have delicious buttercream frosting, and are available in your standard vanilla, chocolate, carrot cake, red velvet.... and something else I am probably forgetting. It's frequent long lines from the corner of a dusty vacant lot prove it's following, though as they say: location, location, location.

In what looks like a rejuvenation along South First street, a new storefront opened in the past couple weeks -- Sugar Mama's Bakeshop. They make daily specials, so everyday won't be the same! I tried the French Toast and the Lemon. Both have a large crumb that's a bit on the dry side; the cupcakes themselves were on the small side, but according to their website that's going (or already has been) upgraded. The French Toast is a maple cake with a cream cheese frosting.... very good, but I don't know that I would order it again; probably my personal aversion to maple flavoring, unless it's pure maple syrup on my real French toast! The Lemon cupcake though, was a knockout! Lucious buttercream, but not overly sweet, nice lemony pucker. An instant favorite! Kudos!